Summer fun fair and The Big Sleuth at the Sandwell Valley Country Park (July 2017)

The only time I popped into the Sandwell Valley Country Park was when The Big Sleuth was on, so didn't go far. Saw a fun fair on the way to the Sandwell Park Visitor Centre. A tourist road train was also going round this part of the park. I've not got around to going back to this park. This visit end of July 2017. Not sure if I'll travel back here, is a long way to travel there

Do you miss the summer with all the Christmas festivities in winter? Lets go back a couple of summers to late July 2017.

On the 30th July 2017 I was following The Big Sleuth trail of painted bears from Dudley to Sandwell (via the bus). In West Bromwich I got the bears in the Town Centre, then headed through Dartmouth Park and entered the Sandwell Valley Country Park.

On the left was a summer fun fair.

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A couple of bouncy castles here. The one of the right was the Space Shuttle.

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Disney Cottage. Would guess that kids and explore it and see Disney cartoon characters?

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Crazy Caterpillar. A small rollercoaster for kids to enjoy.

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The blue tourist road train seen going round the park. Was close to the fun fair. The visitor centre seen in the background.

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It was called the Sandwell Express. All aboard, full steam ahead!

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It did several loops around this end of the park close to the fun fair.

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This is the Sandwell Park Visitor Centre. The Big Sleuth bear I was looking for was outside. While a selection of Little bears was inside. Was originally the Sandwell Park Farm.

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A Grade II listed building. Dating to around 1800. Near Lodge Hill Road. Built of brick with tile roofs. The farm buildings were built as the home farm on the Earl of Dartmouth's Sandwell Hall estate. Sandwell Hall was demolished in 1928.

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The only reason for this visit was to see The Big Sleuth bear called Uncle B. The artists was Louise Blakeley and Warren McCabe-Smith working with Cradley Heath Creative and was funded by Cradley Heath and Sandwell Council.

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The back side of Uncle B. Wishing he was at the fun fair.

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The other little bears were inside the Visitor Centre.

More photos on my Flickr here: Sandwell Valley Country Park.

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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